Tetanus : what you should know

Posted on Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Tetanus, an infection also known as lockjaw, is characterised by severe muscle spasms.The spasms, which start showing 3-20 days after the onset of infection, can lasts for minutes minutes occur very frequently for 3-4 weeks and are sometimes strong enough to cause bone fractures. Caused by a bacteria named Clostridium Tetani, the other symptoms of a tetanus infection, which usually spreads through broken skin, include fever, headache, trouble swallowing, high blood pressure, and a fast heart rate. It is estimated that about 10% of those infected by Tetanus die.

Causes of Tetanus

Any person who gets cut by a contaminated object is at the risk of getting tetanus infection.

Clostridium Tetani, being anaerobic,thrive best in the absence of oxygen. They are commonly found in the lower intestines and produce spores that survive for years.

As the bacteria grow and multiply, they produce a nerve toxin that does the damage. The toxin binds to nerve endings that calm the muscles due to which the muscles contract and become rigid and sensitive to external inputs which lead to spasms.

Cut wounds, burns, surgical wounds, punctures with dirty needles and deep puncture wounds are prone to tetanus. Reuse of syringe is also a major reason.

Symptoms

Symptoms of tetanus may start showing anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks after the wound has been infected, but the typical incubation period (time between infection and symptoms) is 5 to 10 days.

Symptoms include:

Chills

Difficulty swallowing

Headache

Irritability / restlessness

Neck and ha stiffness

Fever

Sore throat

Stiff arms and legs

Additional symptoms:

Difficulty in opening the jaw

Muscle spasms in the back, neck, or abdomen

A person who has contracted tetanus infection can develop a fixed expression with a tight stretched smile or arched eyebrows.

They may sweat a lot when they experience spasms and are usually unable to speak due to spasm in the chest or throat which also causes difficulty in breathing

Associated complications:

Pneumonia

Broken bones

Skin sores

Muscle tear

Low blood pressure

Treatment

Vaccination

Antibiotics and tetanus immune globulin to control infection

Wound treatment

Medications to prevent muscle spasms

Supportive care

Prevention

Clean all wounds thoroughly by rinsing with clean water and washing with soap and water

If the wound is deep, dirty or caused by contaminated objects/ surfaces (eg. rusted nails, sharp and dirty objects, falling on the road etc.) see the doctor.